This November, we perform the premiere of Death in a Nutshell a new work by Ayrshire-born composer and saxophonist Jay Capperauld.

Jay's unique and macabre source of inspiration for the new work is Frances Glessner Lee’s “Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death”, a series of 20 re-creations of real-life crime scenes that she intricately fashioned in minute detail within dollhouse-sized rooms. These miniature death-scenes were painstakingly handcrafted by Lee throughout the 1940/50s as a learning tool in forensic and crime scene investigation, and often depict a domestic scenario furnished in 1940s décor in which the body of a doll (or dolls) can be found.

It's time to get our detective hats on, as ahead of the premiere Jay has curated a playlist for the SCO, allowing us to begin exploring the mysterious, the unknown and the macabre in music.

Jay writes: "I'm drawn to each piece because they evoke a great sense of drama while sweeping me away in cathartic and dark stories that speak to the human experience."

We hope you enjoy exploring this eclectic playlist of music! 🔍

Listen to the Playlist